Method of making chain-links



G. J. LEHR.

METHOD OF MAKING CHAIN LINKS.

APPLICATION FILED 0CT.12, l9l8 Patented Feb. 1,1921.

UNITED IS TEI PATENT OFFICE.

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Application and October 12,1918. Serial No. 25731121.

To all whom it may concern p 1 Be it known that I, Gnonon JVLEHR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in thecounty of Franklin and State of Ohio, have inventedacertain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Making Chain-Links, of which the follow ing is a specification, p

This invention relates to the method of making chain links, the method being particularly directed to cast links which, when assembled, may be used as drive chains. Also, the type of link to which this invention is particularly adaptable makes what is known in the trade as detachable link chains.

The main object of my invention resides in a method whereby the use of cores is en tirely eliminated thus making for a greatly reduced cost in the manufacture of the links themselves. The elimination of cores will cause a material reduction in the initial cost since the patterns need not be fitted with core prints nor need core boxes be made. In addition tothis, the labor cost in making cores and the material cost of these cores is entirely eliminated. Further, the setting of cores in a mold is a very laborious proceeding and this I have entirely eliminated together with the attended losses resulting from the use of cores such as core blow holes, fins, etc.

In the accomplishment of my invention, a link is cast having the hook portion shaped with a flaring mouth and extensions or lips, so that it may be drawn from the sand to form its own core, annealing, andthen assembling the hook portion of one link with the pintle portion of another, or its equivalent mandrel, and then bending the hook portion so that it forms an accurate bearing with the pintle with which it is designed to fit, and subsequently bending the lip portions after the manner related above whereby a greater portion of the link pintle is covered than has been hitherto accomplished thus materially reducing the space in which dirt or grit may collect with the result that the link will possess greater longevity.

The accompanying drawing illustrates diagrammatically the manner in which my improved method may be carried out and also illustrates the chain links in their various stages of perfection. In these draw "Specification of Letters Patent.

inn'rrron or MAKING- CHAIN-LINKS.

Patented Feb. 1, 1921.

ings similarcharacters of referencedesignate corresponding parts, and

Figure 1 sa v ew in perspective illustrating one type of chain link after it has been cast,.no cores being necessary. to form the open mouth portion of the hook,

Fig.2 is a view in side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1,

, Fig. 3 is a viewillustrating a plurality of these links assembled prior to the bending of the ,lips to .form afinal connection, and

Fig. 4; shows the lips bent to produce the final connection between links.

The link in its entirety comprises a pair of side bars 1, an end bar or pintle 2 and a hooked end 3. In the manufacture of detachable link chains, one of the side bars 1 may be matched out as indicated at 4 to permit the assembling or disassembling of the links in a manner well known to the trade.

Where my improved method is resorted to, the pattern for the link is made so that the finished link will have an open mouth portion 5 of such form that the pattern will form its own core whilein the sand. This open mouth portion has a semicircular base wall of a size to accommodate the pintle bar 2 and is additionally provided with an upstanding lip portion 6 at the left hand end as shown in Fig. 2 tapered to give the proper draft while in the sand and similarly a lip 7 is formed on the righthand side of the open mouth portion as illustrated in Fig. 2 to give the proper draft. It will thus be apparent that with the pattern formed as just described, no cores are necessary in casting the links since the mouth portion 5 is so formed that the pattern itself will form its own core. This eliminates a great amount of expense, both material and labor, in the production of the cores and also reduces the percentage of loss during casting to a very marked extent.

After the links have been cast, they are placed in an annealing oven for the requisite amount of time and then the hooked ends are assembled over a suitable mandrel which may be the pintle rod end of the link itself is illustrated in Fig. 3. After the links have been thus assembled, the lips 6 and 7 are turned over or bent over as is illustrated in Fig. 4 whereby a perfect connection between links is attained. By the use of a lip 7, the amount of space remaining in which dust and grit may collect is materially reduced and in addition, the links themselves may be individually tested as to strength after they have been assembled. It will thus appear that during the last step of my invention the links may be assembled, properly joined, and tested while in their assembled relation, thus additionally reducing the labor cost in the manufacture of chains of this type. Should any link show up as deficient, it may be readily removed and another inserted but the'amount of loss due to faulty castings is very materially reduced by the preceding portion of my improved method.

It will thus appear that I have presented amethod of making chain links of this type which materially reduces the cost of produc tion. It will of course be understood that modern furnace practice is to be resorted to and with this in mind,it Will be readily apparent that the open mouth portion 5 may be cast practically perfect each time and because of the eliminationof cores at this point, not only is the labor and material cost very materially reduced, but the pitch dis- .tanceof the chain links themselves may be maintained to a very fine degree of accuracy, the variations of the pitch distance in various links where cores are used, being due principally to the shifting of the core in the mold or its improper positioning in the mold.

What I claim is:

The method of making cast chain links having a'pintle rod at one end and a hook at the opposite end, which comprises initially casting the link with the hook portion having an open flaring mouth and deformable lips on each side of said mouth, and subsequently bending the lips of said hook portion to engage the pintle rod of an adjacent link.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

GEORGE J. LEHR. 

